35 Hot Tapping

Jubail United Petrochemical Company (United) Site Safety Procedures Manual
United Olefins Complex Project Rev. 1, July, 2001

Jubail, Saudi Arabia Page 1 of 5
35. HOT TAPPING
A. GENERAL
This procedure provides guidelines covering the safety aspects to be considered when welding a
hot tap connection onto a pipe or vessel installed in a refinery, chemical plant, or other similar
facility, or lines that contained product. It is not a substitute for job planning. A detailed written
procedure shall be prepared for each hot tap.
This procedure does not apply to hot taps on gas or liquefied petroleum transmission pipelines or
service taps on gas distribution mains. These procedures apply to piping and equipment fabricated
from ferritic and austenitic steel. Materials such as aluminum, copper, or cast iron are not
addressed.
Hot tapping shall be performed by qualified professionals who specialize in performing such work
on a frequent basis.
Client representatives should be included from initial designs through hot tap completion (safety,
construction, operations, maintenance, etc.)
An engineered design with a drawing approval cycle shall be implemented for the proposed hot
tap. The design shall include:
• metallurgical analysis, including wall thickness, determination by ultrasonic test (UT);

• in-process controls and inspections to assure conformance to design;
• approval of Contractor/Subcontractor procedures; and a review and approval by Owner
B. METALLURGY
Vessels or lines to be hot tapped must be properly inspected for adequate wall thickness and
absence of imperfections to minimize the risk of burn-through. Qualified welders shall adhere to
controlled welding techniques to prevent overheating.
A thorough inspection of each connection area must verify that the metal thickness is adequate for
the pressure and temperature involved. There must be no lamination or other imperfections. Hot
taps should only be made in lamination-free areas with adequate metal thickness.
Burn-Through Prevention
To minimize the possibility of burn-through, the first weld pass to the equipment should be made
utilizing applicable regulatory agency standard guidelines. Subsequent passes should be made
with a one-eighth inch (1/8”) (3.2 millimeter) electrode diameter or less if the metal thickness
does not exceed one-half inch (1/2”) (12.8 millimeters). In many situations, low hydrogen rods
may be preferable to reduce the possibility of burn-through. For a wall thickness greater than one-
half inch (1/2”) (12.8 millimeters) where burn-through is not a primary concern, larger diameter
electrodes may be used.
H:\06700320 EO-EG\101\EOEG ITB\ITB FINAL IFC\Part III Project Execution Instructions\4.0 Safety and Security\4.5 Safety Procedures Manual\35_-Hot-Tapping.doc
GENERAL SITE CONDITIONS AND SAFETY PROCEDURES
Metal Thickness
Generally, a minimum base metal thickness of three-sixteenths inch (3/16”) (4.8 millimeters) is
recommended for hot tapping. Exceptions to the recommended thickness may be permitted when
engineer specifications allow. Welding on thin material could result in overheating and burn-
through. If practical, temporarily reduce the pressure and/or temperature within the equipment to
provide an additional safety factor while welding takes place.
Metal Temperature
If the metal temperature is less than 50°F (10°C), heating the weld area before welding should be
considered. Generally, welding should not be performed on lines or equipment when atmospheric
temperature is less than -50°F (-45°C) unless special consideration is given to the base metal
characteristics, electrodes, and a method of metal preheating. Hot tap machines should also be
checked for suitability of use at low temperatures. Under all circumstances, hot tapping should be
limited to the pressure/temperature rating of the machine.
Stress Relief
Some equipment is unsuitable for hot tapping because the metallurgy or thickness of metal
requires stress relieving, which normally cannot be done while the equipment is pressurized.
Special treatment is required for high tensile strength alloy steels; special-welding electrodes must
be used. Hot tap fitting and weld rod metallurgy must be compatible with the metallurgy of
equipment to be tapped.
Chemistry of Line or Vessel Contents
The oxygen level within the equipment must be controlled to prevent the formation of a vapor/air
mixture within flammable or explosive ranges. In addition, contents of the line or vessel being hot
tapped must not contain the following:
• hydrogen, where the equipment has operated above the Nelson curve limits, because of
the possibility of hydrogen molecules attaching to the metal;
• vapor/air or vapor/oxygen mixtures within flammable or explosive ranges;
• acids, chlorides, peroxides, or other chemicals likely to decompose or become hazardous
from the heat of welding;
• caustic or amine if the concentration and temperature are such that the fabrication
specifications call for stress relieving; and
• certain unsaturated hydrocarbons that may experience exothermic decomposition reaction

(ethylene, for example) if the metal temperature resulting from hot tapping could initiate
such a reaction at the maximum expected pressure. Such reactions could have the
potential for causing localized hot spots on pipe walls that could lead to failure.
C. REQUIREMENTS
Hot work on pipelines and other operating equipment shall not be applied for pressures less than
atmospheric or greater than seven hundred (700) pounds per square inch per grade (psig) and
temperatures less than 70°F (20º) or greater than 600°F without additional extensive engineering
and/or consultation with appropriate industrial specialists.
• The pipe, tank, or vessel walls must be at least the minimum thickness for the design
temperature and pressure plus three-thirty-seconds of an inch (3/32”), but in no case less
than three-sixteenths of an inch (3/16"). The thickness must be confirmed by ultrasonic
testing.
• The metallurgy of the pipe, tank or vessel shall be fully determined prior to welding.
• Hot taps shall not be performed upstream of rotating equipment without filters or traps to
retain cuttings.
• The chance of blow through is greatest on welds running longitudinal to the pipeline.
Therefore, on full encirclement fittings the only welds made directly to the pipe are the
end circumferential welds.
• Minimum velocity (flow) of the fluid/gas shall be specified in the job plan for each hot
tap.
• Pipelines with high flow rates or refrigerated liquids tend to result in too rapid quenching
of the weld which may contribute to weld cracking problems. Bolt-on tees, suitable for
the service, may be used where weld cracking or stress relief is a problem.
D. HOT TAP MACHINES
All hot tapping machines must be certified with documented proof of certification for maximum
working pressure and temperature rating. The machine must be able to positively retain and
remove the blank or coupon. They may be powered by hand, air, hydraulic fluids, or electricity.
A hot tap machine can be considered suitable if the pressure and temperature of the medium inside
the line or vessel falls within the working limits of the hot tap machine. The seals and materials of
the hot tap machine must be compatible with the fluids in the line or vessel and the material of the
drill or cutter must be suitable for effective penetration of the metal of the pipe or vessel.
Before hot tapping is attempted, the machine, cutter and pilot bit should be carefully inspected to
ensure that they are in satisfactory condition and capable of being left in service, if necessary, in
the event of mechanical problems or hot tap valve leakage.
E. PREPARATION
Mounting, assembling, and operation of the hot tapping machine shall be performed by personnel
trained for this purpose. Selection of the proper fitting and reinforcement for use in making the hot
tap connection shall be based on the proper codes (refer to API). The overall fitting and valve
assembly length must not exceed the machine boring bar maximum travel. Weldolets, weld-ends,
split tees, saddles, nozzles, branch-o-lets, or plain meters may be used depending on the
reinforcement needed. If hot tap diameter is greater than fifty percent (50%) of the run pipe
diameter, full encirclement pads or split tees shall be used.
The geometry of the fitting attachment shall be determined before welding. Careful measurements
must be made to assure that:
• tapping machine has sufficient overhead clearance for its full travel;
• the valve is sufficiently deep so that the pilot bit clears the valve seat when retracted;
• the tapping machine cutting rod is of sufficient length to cut entirely through the pipe, vessel,
or tank wall;
• for piping, the cutter does not cut the opposite wall of the pipe;
• the cutter head is of sufficient depth to cut heavy wall vessels and pipes; and
• the proper angularity (if kept between the nozzle and the wall) and all elements (seat rings,
bolt circles, etc.) are concentric with each other to prevent the jamming or obstruction of the
cutter in its travel.
If the hot tap is not vertical, a nipple with attached small gate valve shall be welded to the bottom
of the tapping valve for blowing or washing cuttings out of the seating area.
A Safety Action Plan, Job Safety Analysis and Safety Task Assignment (STA) procedures shall be
implemented before the task is executed.
F. WELDING PROCEDURE
• Welding must be performed using welding procedures qualified to the applicable code and
specifications and welders qualified to the welding procedures, code, and specification.
• On storage tanks the liquid level shall be at least three (3) feet above any welding. Floating
roof tanks shall have roofs floating. Welding should not be permitted on the deck of a floating
roof except under very carefully controlled conditions. Emergency exit plans shall be in place
before starting work on such roofs. Additionally, extreme caution is advised when welding in
the following locations of floating roof tanks:
- Inside the pontoon.

- Between the deck and liquid surface near the tank roof gauge float compartment.
- Near the roof seal vent.
- Near the floating roof lift leg vent.
- Between the primary and secondary seals.
• Nozzles shall be beveled 45° - 50° from the outside. The entire weld on carbon steel nozzles
shall be made with American Welding Standards of Engineering (A.W.S.E.) -7018 electrodes
or equivalent.
• Nozzle pad shall be air or nitrogen tested, and soaped for leaks.
• Hot taps should be performed on flowing lines with exceptions requiring attention as below:
- Static lines shall be full and properly vented if run is less than twenty (20) feet.
- Welding shall not be done on empty or partially full lines without proper purging and
testing.
- The degree of hazard on lines carrying gas under pressure shall determine if a hot tap can
be performed safely.
• Hot taps within eighteen inches (18”) of a pipe anchor, expansion joint, expansion loop,
flanged connection, or threaded connection shall be avoided.
• The hot tap fitting shall be full-fusion welded to the equipment to be tapped (normally) at a
right angle. The fitting shall be contoured to the shape with a nozzle bevel and one-eighth inch
(1/8”) gap to permit full penetration weld. Longitudinal welds on encirclement tees, saddles
and sleeves shall not tie onto pipe.
• Before the tap is made, a test on the branch shall be carried out with valve in position to test
valve gaskets and packing and to check attachment weld. Hydrostatic testing shall be done at
temperatures below 203°F (95°C). Pneumatic testing, using air or nitrogen, shall be done at
temperatures above 203ºF (95ºC). Soaping for leaks shall be used for pneumatic testing.
• Additional testing such as radiograph, dye penetrant, or magnetic particles may be used for
testing. These additional tests shall not substitute for the pneumatic test.
G. RESPONSIBILITY
It shall be the Project/Site Manager's responsibility to review and justify the need for performing
hot taps (ensure alternatives have been exhausted) and for assuring that the Hot Tap Permit has
been completed and signed by all designees.
The Project/Site Manager is responsible for ensuring that the people required to perform the hot
tapping work are trained and qualified.
H. EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY
All exceptions must be approved and signed-off by a Registered Professional Mechanical

Engineer in conjunction with the Project/Site Manager and Owner.
ATTACHMENT A: HOT TAP PERMIT

35 Hot Tapping

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35 Hot Tapping

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Jubail United Petrochemical Company (United) Site Safety Procedures Manual

United Olefins Complex Project Rev. 1, July, 2001

35. HOT TAPPING

• metallurgical analysis, including wall thickness, determination by ultrasonic test (UT);

Chemistry of Line or Vessel Contents

• certain unsaturated hydrocarbons that may experience exothermic decomposition reaction

D. HOT TAP MACHINES

- Inside the pontoon.

H. EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY

All exceptions must be approved and signed-off by a Registered Professional Mechanical

ATTACHMENT A: HOT TAP PERMIT

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